Introduction
Electric vehicles have been around for a long time, but it hasn’t always been easy for consumers to buy them. A few years ago, electric cars were expensive, unreliable and looked like golf carts. Now they’re being driven by celebrities and CEOs—and even President Obama. Tesla has been leading the charge with its sleek cars that can go from zero-to-60 miles per hour in just 2 seconds (seriously). Big oil companies are not happy about this shift of power from gas to electric, but they’re going to have learn how to adapt or die because EVs are coming up fast. Let’s take a look at some of the most exciting trends in electric vehicle technology right now:
Diesel will be dead by 2040.
Diesel will be dead by 2040.
That’s right, you read that correctly. By 2040, diesel cars will be completely extinct—and it’s a good thing too. While diesel cars are more efficient than their gasoline counterparts, they still pollute more than gas cars and can contribute to poor air quality in cities. Diesel pollution is also linked to bad health outcomes like cancer and cardiovascular problems. Moreover, the greenhouse gases produced by burning diesel fuel contribute to climate change (a topic we’ll talk about later).
Tesla is the thing.
Tesla is the most popular electric car brand. This is because of its sleek design, advanced self-driving technology, and overall innovative approach to the auto industry. Tesla has always been in the forefront of innovation in battery technology, autonomous charging technology, and other areas that are important for electric cars.
Tesla’s stock value has increased dramatically over time while other car companies struggle to stay afloat. So there are a lot of reasons why you should consider buying a Tesla if you’re looking for an electric vehicle.
EVs could be cheaper than gas cars by 2025.
As the price of lithium-ion batteries continues to drop, electric vehicles will become more affordable. At the same time, it’s also becoming cheaper to charge an EV than fill up at the gas pump. The average cost of electricity in the U.S. is less than $0.10 per kilowatt hour (kWh), while a gallon of gasoline costs an average of $2.40 per gallon in 2019—and that’s without accounting for any tax incentives or discounts you may be eligible for when purchasing an EV instead of a gas car.
On top of all this, EVs have lower maintenance costs than their fossil fuel counterparts because they don’t need oil changes or filters as often; they just need new tires every now and again because they’re lighter on their tires due to their higher efficiency ratings compared with internal combustion engines (ICE).
Big oil doesn’t care about electric cars anymore.
You may not have heard, but the big oil companies have stopped investing in electric cars. That’s because they’re no longer worried about them.
There are plenty of reasons for this, but chief among them is that the technology has developed to such a point that large-scale adoption of electric vehicles is inevitable. And when it comes to large-scale adoption, these companies aren’t interested in playing catch-up; their focus has shifted toward other areas of business—like natural gas and even hydrogen fuel cells—that they believe can still offer more lucrative returns on investment than EVs do today.
One thing you’ll hear often from EV opponents is that all those old internal combustion engines can still be repurposed as generators during blackouts or disasters (ahem), but the truth is most people don’t have access to one anyway—they’re usually kept at home or school where there’s no power grid anyway—so this argument doesn’t really hold much water against EVs’ growing popularity.
Electric cars are cheaper to drive (and maintain) than gas cars.
Electric cars are cheaper to drive (and maintain) than gas cars. Gas cars have more moving parts, which means they require more maintenance. Electric cars have fewer moving parts, and therefore require less maintenance.
Self-driving electric taxis are coming soon.
Self-driving cars are coming to a city near you. But self-driving electric cars will be even more common—and they’ll soon be the only way to get around in major cities like New York and Los Angeles.
In New York, for example, Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced plans to have a fleet of fully autonomous electric taxicabs running through Manhattan by 2023. The move is part of an effort by the city’s Department of Transportation (DOT) to reduce traffic congestion and pollution while incentivizing sustainable modes of travel such as mass transit and ride sharing services like Lyft or Uber.
While the DOT hasn’t released specific details about what it will take for this plan to come together, one thing seems clear: if you plan on driving in Manhattan anytime soon, you’ll need your own self-driving vehicle—or else risk being left behind by all those smart cars taking over our streets.”
It’s possible for countries to switch to 100% electric cars in a decade.
While it’s certainly possible for countries to switch to 100% electric cars in a decade, it doesn’t always work out. The US could make the switch by 2030, but that leaves little time for the whole country to prepare. In contrast, China has said that it wants 10% of all vehicles sold there by 2025 and 20% by 2030 to be electric.
The UK also plans on having 25% of all cars sold there being electric by 2030, with an additional goal of having at least 50% of all new cars registered being either hybrid or fully electric by 2040. While these goals are ambitious and still subject to change (it’s unlikely the UK will meet its goal if nothing changes), they show how seriously countries are taking this issue—and why they can’t afford not to invest in electric technologies sooner rather than later
China wants all new cars to be electric by 2030.
China is the largest car market in the world, and it’s set to become even more of a battleground for electric vehicles. The country has already banned gas cars in Beijing and Shenzhen, with more cities coming soon.
China is also home to many of the world’s biggest automakers: Ford Motor Co., GM, and Volkswagen AG all manufacture vehicles there; Tesla Inc. will start local production this year; BYD Co Ltd manufactures both batteries and EVs; while SAIC Motor Corp Ltd produces Changan Automobile Co Ltd’s (002506) EVs.
Norway is already at 30% EVs and aims for 100% by 2025.
Norway is already at 30% EVs and aims for 100% by 2025.
Norway is already at 30% electric vehicles (EVs) and aims to increase that number to 100% by 2025. The country has the highest percentage of electric cars in the world, with 1 out of every 3 new cars sold being fully battery-powered or hybrid.
In addition, Norway’s population is only 5 million people compared to over 50 million in the US—so while they may seem like an anomaly, their high rate could be achieved here if we were willing to adopt similar policies.
Germany is testing out roads that charge electric vehicles as they drive on them.
In Germany, a company called Wattway has developed technology that can be used to build roads with embedded supercapacitors. These supercapacitors can power electric vehicles as they drive on the road and then recharge themselves when the vehicle has passed. They also provide added stability for hybrid vehicles that drive on them, as well as making them safer for pedestrians and cyclists.
This technology is being tested in Germany, Sweden, Norway and the Netherlands by public transport authorities who are looking at how this could be implemented in their countries if it proved successful during these trials.
Electric vehicles are the future, and we can get there sooner than you might think
You may be thinking, “If an electric car is safer, more comfortable, cheaper to run and maintain, and better for the environment than my gas-powered vehicle—why isn’t everyone driving one?” Well, there are a few reasons:
- Electric cars are more expensive than their gasoline-fueled counterparts.
- The battery technology needed to make them practical hasn’t yet caught up to where it needs to be.
But that may all change as soon as 2020. As electric vehicle prices come down and battery technology improves at its current rate—which is already faster than anyone could have predicted—you’ll find yourself enjoying all of those benefits even if you don’t drive an electric car today!
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a new car, now might be the time to consider an electric vehicle. If you do decide to go green, make sure you do your research first and check out our list of the best electric cars on sale today.